City profile · Indiana · Census ACS 2023

Santa Claus, IN

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Santa Claus - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

2,822
Residents
$101,875
Median income
$247,400
Median home
$956
Median rent (state)

Santa Claus - the verdict

Santa Claus ranks in the 79th percentile for household income nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS.

79th
percentile, household income
55th
percentile, home value
11th
percentile, median rent
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Santa Claus, IN

Santa Claus is a small town in Indiana, home to 2,822 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. The typical household in Santa Claus brings in $101,875 a year, placing it in the top quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 3.8%. Santa Claus's housing stock carries a median value of $247,400, and the median resident age is 43.1 years. 37.7% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 65.6% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 9 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Building Boom), up 80% from five years earlier.

Living costs in Indiana run below the national norm: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, Indiana scores 93.3 (Below Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $956 per month statewide. Monthly utility costs average around $235 across Indiana, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 39.4 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Very Low).

Population

2,822 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Indiana

Median Household Income

$101,875 /yr

Poverty 3.8%

Cost of Living Index (state)

93.3 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Indiana average

How does Santa Claus compare to other US cities?

Where Santa Claus sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 79% higher than other cities
Home value 55% pricier than other cities
Median rent 11% pricier than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Santa Claus's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Indiana, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

79thIncome percentile

79th percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Santa Claus's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$247,400 45th percentile more affordable than 45% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). This entry sits in this band. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Santa Claus $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Santa Claus, IN Santa Claus, IN's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Santa Claus, IN-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Santa Claus, IN median $101,875/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Santa Claus, IN's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Santa Claus, IN. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 37.7%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 3.8%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 65.6%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
2,822
Median Income
$101,875
Median Home Value
$247,400
Median Age
43.1
Poverty Rate
3.8%
Labor force participation
65.6%
Bachelor's Degree+
37.7%

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
2,550 residents2,600 residents2,650 residents2,700 residents 202020212022202320242025 2,592 residents 2,641 residents ▲ +1.9%
Santa Claus's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
9
housing units authorized
Single-Family
9
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
3.2
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 5
2020 6
2021 7
2022 19
2023 16
2024 9

Permit volume increased 80% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
85.2%
Carpool
4.9%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
0.9%
Work from Home
8.2%
Other
0.8%

Based on 1,379 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Indiana - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$110
avg/month
Natural Gas
$80
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$45
avg/month
Total Utilities
$235
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Indiana state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Indiana state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Santa Claus sits in

Cost of Living Index
93.3
Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$956/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
39.4 / 100
Very Low
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Indiana

Loogootee
2,846 people
Lagrange
2,770 people
Bicknell
2,879 people
Grissom AFB
2,882 people
Centerville
2,748 people
Chesterfield
2,733 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Santa Claus's 2,822 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

New Britain, PA
2,822 people
East Sonora, CA
2,823 people
Donalsonville, GA
2,823 people
Marengo, IA
2,823 people
Sibley, IA
2,821 people
Pembroke, NC
2,823 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Santa Claus's $101,875 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Valley Home, CA
$101,875 median income
Addieville, IL
$101,875 median income
St. Francis, MN
$101,875 median income
Glenfield, PA
$101,875 median income
Modest, VA
$101,875 median income
Airmont, NY
$101,868 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Santa Claus, IN Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Santa Claus, IN - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 96.8% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 0.8% White 96.8% Black or African American 0.1% Asian 0.0% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 1.2% Two or more races 1.8% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Santa Claus compares to nearby Indiana cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Santa Claus (this city) 2,822 $101,875
Loogootee 2,846 $46,625
Lagrange 2,770 $51,786
Bicknell 2,879 $51,099
Census ACS 5-year FIPS IN Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Santa Claus, IN?

What is the population of Santa Claus, IN? +

2,822 people live in Santa Claus, IN according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Santa Claus, IN? +

Santa Claus households earn a median of $101,875 annually, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Santa Claus? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Santa Claus; the closest available measure is the Indiana state average, a cost of living index of 93.3 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Indiana vary by metro area.

What is the median home value in Santa Claus, IN? +

Santa Claus's median home value sits at $247,400, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.